The Faroese pelagic vessel Norðborg will remain in Tórshavn – the capital of the Faroe Islands – for around six months while a new onboard factory is installed. This, according to the Faroese state-owned media outlet Kringvarp Føroya.
The project is valued at close to DKK 140 million, about EUR 18.8 million. The work will be carried out by the Faroese shipyard group MEST.
The new factory itself costs about DKK 90 million, or EUR 12.1 million. Installation will cost more than DKK 30 million, around EUR 4.0 million.
Factory no longer fit for purpose
The factory onboard Norðborg has never been replaced since the vessel entered service in 2008. It is now worn and outdated.
“The vessel is 16 years old, and we have never changed anything with the factory onboard,” said Jón Rasmussen, director of the company owning Norðborg. “So the factory is heavily worn. It is also outdated.”
The factory cannot handle modern processing methods. “We use vertical freezing onboard Norðborg, and the current factory is simply not geared for that,” Rasmussen said. “We need to follow development to secure high product quality.”
Shut out of key markets
The outdated factory has reduced the vessel’s market access.
“We are more or less excluded from some markets, especially mackerel for Asia,” Rasmussen said. “We cannot seal or vacuum-pack products with the current setup.”
The same problem applies in Europe. “This also affects herring for the European market,” he said.
Quota cuts and fleet context
Lower pelagic quotas also influenced the timing of the upgrade.
“Blue whiting quotas are cut by 40 per cent. Mackerel is down 50 per cent,” Rasmussen said. “Overall, we expect to fish less than before. That makes this a good time to replace the factory.”
Norðborg is owned by the Faroese company Christian í Grótinum, which also owns the newer pelagic vessel Christian í Grótinum. Norðborg is operated by P/F Hvalnes. When delivered in 2008, it was among the most modern pelagic vessels in the Faroese fleet.